Master of Arts in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is a body/mind-integrated approach to mental health counseling, in which movement is an essential medium. In this two-year curriculum, students learn to creatively and effectively engage in therapy relationships that support the emotional, cognitive, social and physical integration and functioning of the clients with whom they will work. The curriculum involves students in experiential and reflective learning processes as well as more traditional discussion, lecture, and clinical education formats. Through a balance of classroom education and clinically supervised practicum and internship experiences, students develop a strong foundation for skilled practice. Program coursework addresses human development, psychopathology, the therapy relationship, and therapeutic change processes through a bio-psycho-sociocultural lens. Students apply this understanding and observational skills based in Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) to assess client strengths and limitations to inform therapy goals. Improvisational processes support the design of relevant movement and verbal therapy interventions in both individual and group therapy. The curriculum includes specialized approaches with adult and child clinical populations. Attention to professional identity and ethics further prepares students for entry into the profession.